Jeff Osgood

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Age: 53 Years
Years lobstering: 40+
Number of traps fished: 800
Buoy colors: safety yellow and Newport green
Boat: 42‘ H&H Marine
Boat name: KRISTINA E.
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Jeff Osgood was five years old the first time he went to haul with his father, Lee. At age 10, Jeff bought his first skiff, and a few years later he bought his first ‘haul boat,’ BUTTON, from his cousin Philip. At 18, Jeff decided he wanted to try purse seining with his Uncle Alfred, aboard the STARLIGHT. It was during these years that Jeff experienced his biggest fishing adventures.

In his second-year seining, Jeff got his hand caught in the hydraulic power roller on the boat that is used to take in the twine, or the seine net. The accident snapped his shoulder blade in half. “I didn’t feel it until five or ten minutes later,” he said. “I was wearing a t-shirt, two sweatshirts, and an oil jacket, and you could still see the twine marks on my skin. That’s how tight it was.”

That day the STARLIGHT was fishing off of Scituate, MA. It was warm, but the wind was blowing. The Coast Guard had to come out to get Jeff and take him to the hospital. Thankfully, Jeff was healed and back to work within a month.

Two years later, the STARLIGHT was fishing off Seal Island, just south of Vinalhaven, on a swelly, foggy October night. Jeff and his cousin, Justin, were operating the bug boat, used to launch the seine and hook it back up to the STARLIGHT. The bug boat flipped. Jeff was on the bow and was able to jump off before the boat went over. However, his inflatable PFD didn’t inflate, and he was left to tread water, in his oil gear, for around 25 minutes.

The STARLIGHT crew didn’t realize what had happened until they turned on the flood light and saw the capsized boat. Both young men were rescued by the crew. The boom was bent while saving the bug boat, which was towed back to shore, so that was the end of that particular fishing trip.

Jeff was quick to note that the STARLIGHT was and is a very successful fishing boat, and that “accidents happen aboard any boat, on any job site.” However, not long after going overboard, Jeff returned to lobstering. He has been a commercial fisherman for over 40 years, like his father and his grandfather, as well as many uncles and cousins.

- Kris Osgood